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PERSIAN GABBEH ORIENTAL RUGS

The advent of Persian Gabbeh rugs (gah-BAY)
from Iran into the Western market is relatively new, even though the
earliest of these rugs were being woven in Persia as early as the 1500s.
Fifty years ago, most rug enthusiasts had not even heard of them.

Gabbeh rugs are distinctive and relatively easy to recognize, thus making them good examples for our Oriental Rugs by Design study. For this study, we are more concerned with Persian
Gabbeh rugs but today, the term Gabbeh is used broadly to describe
modern-looking rugs, usually relatively thick, with a tribal nature from
many different weaving countries.

Please note: There can be several different spellings of many of the rug names and places.

LOCATION

Gabbeh
rugs have been woven for centuries by nomadic tribal weavers living in
the Zagros Mountains region running along the Western border of Iran.

Southernmost
tribes most associated with these rugs are the Qashqai and the Luri in
the Fars province. They are also produced in the Northeastern province
of Khorasson (Khorasan) around Meshed where the rugs are woven from
undyed wool.

Other areas in Iran produce these rugs as well, such as the Kurds and Bakhtiari.

DESIGN

The basic design of Persian Gabbeh rugs, whether antique or modern, is quite different from the classic Persian designs.

These rugs have large open fields with just
a few color combinations. Small motifs can be found placed throughout
the field which can include birds, plants, animals, as well as human
figures. The geometric design patterns are more modern-looking than
their classic Persian counterparts.

Traditionally,
Gabbeh rug weavers (usually the women) do not use a cartoon or pattern.
The weaver will incorporate everyday life in her changing environment
into the rug she is weaving. The overall design is usually simple and
plain but it is always warm and creative. Each one is a piece of art
which is the genuine creative expression of the individual weaver.

The
modern Persian Gabbeh rugs have grown and evolved from the earlier
ones and today they can often look like sophisticated abstract art. It
is because of the unique quality of their designs that these rugs fit
well into today's modern interiors (though perhaps not as well in
formal rooms).

The spontaneity and boldness of the design of these rugs have made them very popular.

COLORS

The natural dyes used by Gabbeh weavers give the colors a bold and vivid look.Because
these dyes are collected from natural sources such as madder root,
walnuts, and other plants and insects of the region where they are
woven, the natural irregularities in the dyes results in many color
variations rather than uniform solid colors, giving these rugs their
rich texture.

Some Persian Gabbeh rugs can be found with nothing more than variations of color in a field.

CONSTRUCTION

Although
the common elements in the design of the Gabbeh help to identify the
rug, the method of construction is very important as well.

The
nomadic weaver's life dictates the loom must be able to be dismantled
and set up easily in each new location and the incorporation of
materials from each site (along with those taken with them) is also a
necessity.

Traditional
Persian Gabbeh rugs are woven on a horizontal ground loom. The
difference in the materials found at each site often resulted in rugs
that were slightly irregular in shape. It also meant the rugs had to be smaller in size for easy handling during moves.

The
early rugs were rough and primitive and quickly woven for personal use
in the tent. They were very coarse (the word Gabbeh comes from the
Persian 'raw,' 'rough,' 'coarse,' etc.).

The
antique Persian Gabbeh rugs were not only coarse with a knot count of
40 knots per square inch or less, but their wide rows of multiple wefts
(side to side foundation cords) gave them a pliable feel. This made them
very suitable not only as floor coverings but bedding as well.

Traditionally
the women of the tribe are the weavers who also hand card and spin the
wool from their own sheep. Wool is used for both the foundation and the
pile.

The
wool from the sheep used for the foundation and pile of the Gabbeh rugs
from Iran is of excellent quality. The sheep are grazed in high
altitudes which produces more lanolin to give the wool its sheen,
softness, and stain resistance.

The knot is usually the Senna or Persian asymmetrical knot but the Turkish or symmetrical knot can also be found. Many
varieties of Gabbeh will have 'barber pole' selvages, a type of stitch
where the edges are wrapped in two different colors. Fringed ends are
usually quite short.

Although
the antique Persian Gabbeh rugs were indeed 'crude and coarse,' these
rugs produced commercially today are not crude by any means and perhaps
the word 'thick' should replace 'coarse.'

To find out more about Persian Gabbeh Rugs, ancient and contemporary, with photos, please continue reading here.

MOTHS IN YOUR RUGS - THE DARK SIDE

Beware!
You could be harboring moths in your rugs right now! Even if you
don't see them flying around. One day you may call to have your rugs
picked up to be cleaned only to find out they are full of moth larvae
and in desperate need of extensive and expensive repairs.

How
could this happen? You vacuum regularly, pick up food bits and sop up
spills as quickly as possible. The answer is...There is a dark side to
moth infestations (and carpet beetle destruction as well.)

THE DARK SIDE TO MOTHS IN YOUR RUGS

These insects love those dark areas we don't get to often enough such as:
under and on the back of rugs on floors and wall-to-wall carpets, especially those with furniture on top of them, the backside of rugs hanging on walls or over banisters, and under the pet bed (or any other place where pet hair accumulates).
This problem of moths living and eating undetected in the
dark places of your home is more widespread than you may realize. As
many as 1 in 5 homes across the US are affected. They can do their
damage very quickly. If left too long, the damage often cannot be
repaired.

With the advent of synthetic fibers, the composition of
furniture, rugs and carpets, as well as clothing has significantly
changed from wool to synthetic. This fact can lead homeowners to
believe 'no wool means no moths.' This is unfortunately not true. If
synthetic fibers are soiled and allowed to sit undisturbed, such as
under furniture, they too will become a food source that will attract
moths.

THE REAL CULPRITS ARE THE LARVAE

Adult moths themselves cause no damage. It is the larvae they produce that actually do the feeding. The adults look for wool, silk, soiled cotton, feathers, some leathers, and areas of collected pet fur to lay their eggs.

Each
adult moth can lay between 100 to 150 microscopic eggs, which hatch in
about 5 days. Eggs laid in rugs can remain dormant for years, just
waiting for the right conditions to hatch.

The
larval stage itself can last from 2 to 30 months. This great variance
in the life cycle is due to the availability of food and a rug can
provide a huge source of food. If gone unnoticed, the larvae can feed
for almost 2 and 1/2 years!

This means if the food source is in areas left undisturbed for long
periods of time, the larvae produced from the eggs can eat their food
source and stay in the same area for a very long time, causing
significant damage before they become flying moths.

When a homeowner sees moths, the infestation has already begun somewhere in the home.

HOW CAN YOU TELL IF YOU HAVE MOTHS IN YOUR RUGS?

For the answer to this question and more information, please continue reading here.

SOIL and STAIN PROTECTOR

THAT REALLY WORKS!

Why Soil and Stain Protector?

Did
you request a Soil and Stain Protector the last time your carpets were
cleaned? Have you ever experienced that 'feel good' feeling of having a
freshly-cleaned carpet, rug or furniture only to be totally frustrated
when shortly after something like red wine, coffee or tea is spilled on
those freshly-cleaned items?

Have
you attempted to remove fresh spills yourself? Because you may not know
the type of carpet, rug or furniture you have, you may not know the
best way to clean up a spill. If you have our ABC Spot Cleaning Guide or our DIY Spot Removal Video, you are well-armed, but did you make sure you had the required household solutions, such as ammonia, enzyme detergent, etc.?

So
many things can go wrong when you try to remove spills by yourself. The
pile of the carpet or rug can become distorted with scrubbing. Too much
water or liquid applied to fabric or yarn can change or run colors or
may push the spill down farther only to have it reappear after drying.
Over-the-counter spot cleaners work well with some types of fabric, but
may bleach out others.

All
of this could have been avoided if you had requested an application of a
Soil and Stain Protector when you had your carpet, rug or furniture
cleaned. It does cost a little more but...it certainly is worth it!

How Does It Work?

A
Soil and Stain Protector acts as a kind of invisible shield that will
repel most substances that are spilled on it. This is somewhat like
waxing a car. You provide protection to your paint job by applying an
invisible shield and you know it is working because you can see water
beading up on the surface.

When
you protect your carpet, rug or furniture with a Soil and Stain
Protector, you are not only going to obtain the immediate benefit of
being able to clean up fresh spills, but that protection will mean the
item is going to last longer. That is because when something is clean,
it performs better and increases the lifetime of the textile.